March 14, 2011

Adams Family,
Well its been a pretty crazy week. I told you about how Elder Mackay became the new Assistant to the President, but when I was emailing you last week I hadn't received my transfer call yet. I was 99% sure that I wouldn't be transferred this transfer because President always leaves missionaries in areas for a long period of time. Well I had only been in Atonsu for a little more than 1 transfer so I wasn’t worried about it, but President called me on Monday after emailing and gave me a new assignment. I was very surprised. He asked me to be a zone leader in the Bantama Zone, so all I did was go and replace Elder Mackay on the other side of Kumasi as zone leader. So pretty much I am just following Elder Mackay around my entire mission and serving in all of his areas. Not that it matters in any way, but I think I am the youngest zone leader in the mission, so I feel a little inexperienced kinda like a small boy haha, but it will be a really good experience. It's been kinda a rough area for a while from what I have heard. But Elder Mackay and now my companion Elder Christensen worked really hard here the last 2 transfers and now the place is just rocking and the work is super sweet. They have some super super powerful investigators and members as well. The ward was split in August and we are in Bantama 2^nd Ward and the Bishop here is the man. He is all about missionary work and the ward is giving lots of referrals right now and helping a lot. We went to the ward council on Sunday and they were talking about our investigators and how they can help and visit them. So sweet, the missionaries have a really good relationship with all of the ward leaders. We were even proselyting the other day and we ran into the Relief Society Pres, her 1st Councelor, and the Young Women’s 1st Counselor visiting our investigators. I was shocked, I haven't seen that kind of devotion my whole mission. So I am really excited to be serving here. I think I am going to enjoy the fruits of Elder Mackay’s labors. We do have to spend a lot of our time doing other missionary business and traveling a lot to help our zone members and the mission so it can be a little distracting at times, and we don't have as much time to be in our area but at the same time being busy will really help the time go fast and the work be sweet. So I am excited.

My companion as I said is Elder Christensen from Kaysville, Utah. He is really cool and a really hard working missionary. We a little different, being that he isn't a huge sports fan but at the same time we have a lot in common and he is a way sweet kid. Just wants to work hard and do things right so we will get along great. He is also from Elder Mackay's MTC group. I have had four of the sweetest companions in this mission, I don't know why but I have been super spoiled in that way. Now about Atonsu. I really miss that place a lot. Elder Smith is now training a Nigerian in that area and so he is still there. I was sad to leave because some of the sweetest investigators I have ever had on mission are from Atonsu. Anita, the woman in the wheelchair is just amazing and so determined to be a member. I actually think after talking to Elder Smith today that she could even be baptized before she leaves to go to the US for her race. I miss her so much, I think more than any investigator I have ever had. Then Brother Bright, Sister Ester and Sister Casandra are ready for baptism and will be baptized on the 26th of March, and everyone of them is just awesome and super powerful. Atonsu wasn't easy but because we worked are butts off we had great success. I am glad I will still be around to see them baptized though so that’s sweet. I grew a lot on my mission in just the last month serving there. It should become and branch this month. Oh and the Stake President and the Stake Patriarch are also in our ward here in Bantama, so I can still talk to him about Atonsu and get updates and encourage him to help them out which is sweet. I am going to really miss Atonsu I loved those members and investigators and also Elder Smith, but Istepped right back into an awesome area with an awesome companion and a new responsibility. The work will go forth.

Something crazy that I found out today from Elder Brown, who by the way is opening another new group near Atonsu and training at the same time (yup thats my son), so he is now in Kumasi. He told me that one of my recent converts in Moree died this past weekend!!!!!!!!!! His name was Kobina and he was a fisherman only about 20 years of age. I don't know how he died, but I would guess that it was at sea while they were fishing. I was really sad when I heard that, but he was fully active and going to church every week before he died so he is in a better place. What a blessing it is to know the plan of salvation, and to know that he is in paradise right now. It's a great feeling to know that because I chose to come on mission I have already helped one person go to heaven. One of the sweetest most wonderful feelings ever. Now I know with an even greater understanding that what we are doing is truly divine, and that we are literally giving people eternal life. I haven't even completed my mission, but I have helped save one soul, that alone makes every thing worth it. I can't even explain how it feels.

It's been another crazy week and the yet another new assignment. The Lords really helping me grow and learn in so many ways. I feel like I still have the sweetest moments ahead of me and I am not slowing down. Thank you guys for everything and I pray for you daily. There is nothing greater than missionary work. My scripture that I chose to put on my plaque is true. I have already brought in and saved one soul, how much greater shall my joy be if I now bring man? I feel so blessed to be engaged in such a wonderful cause. But it’s all because of the Lord and his blessings, not anything I have done. I love you, I know the church to be true and I thank you for the wonderful family you are. Take care and God bless you.
Love Elder Adams
ps. Read Elder Mackay’s blog to learn more.

3-7-11

Family,

Sorry I couldn’t email last week we went to the cafe in our area and the net was down and we didn’t have time to go anywhere else. So that’s just Africa for ya so sorry live with it, because I do everyday haha. Well the last two weeks were pretty sweet. We went golfing last p day and it was so epic. Man its not easy hitting the golf ball over a 600 foot giant tree right in the middle of the fairway haha, but really the course wasn't all that bad. And we had a caddy and everything so it was legit, and even Nike clubs. Okay well today I found out that Elder Mackay is the new assistant so that is pretty sweet. That guy is such a stud, love that boy so much. So that’s really really cool. Umm church the past few weeks has been okay. Actually last week was really good and we had about 40 members, but this week was a downer and we had jut over 25. Man a don’t know what else we can do it is so frustrating. We go and teach all these members and visit less actives but we just can’t get them to come to church. They all miss and want to go back to their old wards if they even go to church. So things are going a little slow on the progress of the group. And to make matters worse our group leader is moving this month so we will be getting a new one and starting over again. Ugh it’s getting to me, but we are still doing all we can with the group. On the other hand we have some super solid investigators and we are really loving teaching them. Bright once again gave the most powerful testimony in church on Sunday and said that he will never leave this church, and he isn’t even baptized yet. I was a little sad and down when on Sunday when we were having class the teacher didn’t even know Bright’s name and he has been coming for 8 weeks now. I don’t know what to do, but the members just don’t seem to really care. We have two other investigators who have been to church every week and the 3 of them will be baptized on the 26.

We have a new investigator and one of my favorites I have ever taught. She is in a wheelchair, but she is not complaining she is taking full advantage of it. She wheels herself a mile to church every week and let me tell you there aren’t sidewalks. But she is a wheelchair racer and the stadium is here in Ghana and she travels the world doing Olympic like competitions and stuff. She showed us pictures of her in the white house and eating pizza and hamburgers and all kinds of stuff in America. She lives in a little house the size of my room and she has 2 girls and her husband is dead, but she is making the best of her life. She truly loves and embraces the gospel to in her life. She already said that are church is different and that she loves it. Crazy thing is that she is traveling to Atlanta, Georgia for a competition at the end of this month and will be there for 4 weeks. How crazy is that? Jeff should totally find her and teach her for me so that when she gets back I can baptize her. Only problem is I doubt Jeff can speak twi because she doesn’t speak English. But we will give her a baptism date before she leaves and continue when she returns. Small world. Oh, and the government pays for her to travel the world for these competitions.

Things are still going really well Elder Smith is a great guy and we are loving life right now in our new area. It’s not easy but we are really trying to get things going still. I could sure use some advice for teaching and bringing back less active members. Whatever I am doing doesn’t seem to be working all that well right now haha, but really some advice might help.

Still no packages. Umm my zone is Dichemso zone and Elder Mackays old one was Bantama and they are the only 2 in Kumasi. That’s crazy about Brother Weed, man small world. (Garrett’s seminary teacher has been called as the mission president to a new mission in Benin and Togo) Well I don’t know what else to tell you right now I am really in a hurry and I don’t have much time to explain or expand on anything else. Sorry I will try and make my emails more meaningful next week. I love you and I am so grateful for such a wonderful loving family, I thank my heavenly father everyday and pray in your behalf. Take care and keep doing the Lords work, there is no greater work we could be doing. I love you!!!!!!!!!!!

Elder Adams

February 20. 2011

Feb, 20, 2011

Fam,

I am glad to hear that Miles played a really good game. As long as the Adams weren't the ones who blew it, it keeps the name in good standing. But that does suck they lost. It would have been sweet to go to State in basketball. The Weeds, my freshman seminary teacher right? That is way cool he is going to be the new Mission President over Benin and Togo. Give me their address and I will write them. We got a new pump for our apartment. The crime might be a little higher just because there is more money around, but it is still way safer than America.

Well, the exciting part of this week for me at least was Zone conference. It was a real sweet one. We talked a lot about discipline and about what we must do as a mission to reach our potential. We have three groups of missionaries that came into the mission in August, October, and November of 2009. Within those 3 groups there are about 50 or 60 plus missionaries, almost half of our mission. Elder Mackay is one of them. President said that that almost never happens, and for the longest time we were one of the youngest missions in the world. But now we are probably the oldest mission in the world and he taught us that because of that we should be the most powerful mission in the world. Pretty crazy uh? We have a lot of experience in our mission right now. When all of those guys leave then I will be one of the oldest in the whole mission and we will probably get a lot more missionaries at that time. Now President Sabey goes home in June, which really sucks because I love that man, but we received our new and final mission goal before he leaves. In his time being here we have completed all 8 of the mission goals that have been set, never failing. The Lord has really been good to our mission. But things have been taken to a whole other level with this new goal and we only have 4 months to do it!!!! All of the goals have been progressing towards the temple, or to the celestial kingdom. We started with service, and then baptisms, then baptizing a husband and wife family, then getting a recent convert to the temple to do baptisms for the dead, and we will finish that one the 28th of this month. And so guess what our next goal is?? Yup to get a family sealed in the temple and we have 4 months!!! That seems impossible. Actually, the first thing that Sister Sabey said when President told herewas, "Mel that is impossible." So right now President is really taking us to the highest level, and stressing exact obedience in every single way so that we will have the Lord’s help, because there is no way we will ever accomplish this goal without it.

So overall it was just a really really sweet conference. Then we had a sweet instruction about grace and works, and how Christ is our advocate pleading our case, and how the works are what make us become like God, and we got into a really serious discussion. Overall just a sweet sweet conference. I feel refreshed and ready to work even harder. Lately I have been a little flustered and frustrated with how things are going with our group and the area. Things just don't seem to be going like I had imagined, and the members aren't all that serious in doing what is necessary. We only have about 20 active members right now that are consistent. And they are all single and working, so they have no time to really do any missionary work and help the group to grow. We have only gotten 2 serious referrals since coming. It's almost like we are at a standstill except for the few investigators that we are preparing for baptism that we have contacted. I am really praying and seeking for a understanding of what we can do. I am just a little unsure of what we can change to help the group the most. Pray for us, we need it. I do know that everything works in the Lords time though and that if we would just continue working hard he will have to bless us. I knew it wouldn't be an easy task and I am ready to do whatever is necessary. Don't think at all that I am doubting or anything; I know things will come around, I just want you to get a little feel of where we are at right now. I know you are curious. Also pray that we can find a family to get sealed with the few people we have to choose from to prepare. Haha we really do have a lot of work to do I tell you what!!! But I am getting to the point in my mission where the harder the task, the my I love it because in the end it will be totally worth every effort.

We have one golden investigator right now who just is so powerful and he will be baptized very soon. The rest of our progressing investigators have major chastity issues still and things are going really slow, but they are improving. They will be very special baptisms though when the time comes because of all we went through together, but the number of baptisms will be less. Not that that matters though. Things are a lot different than my first area where we were dunking people every couple of weeks. This place is pretty dry, but I know we will change that. Man, even Fallon 5th is baptizing like it’s Africa. I think I could have counted the number of baptisms on my hands in our ward before I came on mission. You guys are doing awesome. Well, we are being stretched and the Lord is really teaching us we gotta work harder. I have loved my mission so much up to this point, and I know that I will only learn more. I don't think a mission has impacted anyone the way it has me. Thinking about who I was before mission, and who I am now, and where I want to go now compared to where I wanted to go before my mission, I am no way the same. Thank you, thank you for getting me on a mission. It's the greatest blessing my life. But I have so much more to do and improve upon. I know that Jesus Christ truly suffered 100% of our individual sins, and that if we come unto him he can and will heal us. This is his church. The gospel is true, and it is more visible to us as we live it. I love you and pray for you everyday. I hope everything is going great. Take care.

Much Love
Elder Adams

February 13, 2011

Family,

Sorry about the last week we had no time because we had so much stuff to do. Well, our water pump was stolen from our house and we had no water for the whole last week, we had to fetch it, which really sucks. I only took two showers last week because I hate fetching the water. After about 3 days I decide on the 4th day that I had better take a shower and when I did I learned a new lesson. If you don't shower daily your skin sheds, and my whole body was pealing because I hadn't showered in so long ha. Guess that's why it’s supposed to be a daily thing. So things are a little sketchy around our area right now. We had our water pump stolen and we know that there are people spying on us and watching us pretty well because they knew the exact time that we would be out of the house to come and steal the pump. And then this week we almost got the crap beat out of us by a 240 pound, in shape, ripped out of his mind guy who is the husband to one of our investigators. SCARY! I will tell you more about that.

1^st in Kumasi they have all of the sweet Kente scripture bags, temple bags, and all kinds of other sweet stuff that they can make out of Kente. Let me know what things you might want. 2nd I am on a new diet where all I eat for dinner is salad with a bunch of vegetables and I am actually losing a good amount of weight so it's sweet. But they don’t really have good salad dressings here so it would be sweet if you could send me like a whole bunch of ranch packets, and then I could make the dressing here or something like that. I will probably eat that the majority of my mission. All these other foods are making to fat haha. And I don't really want candy, it makes me feel so sick afterward. So legit food stuff I would prefer. 3rd I want to go golfing in Africa just so that I can say I did, and we found a pretty legit golf course that we can go to for about 35 American dollars. So just make sure that I have money in my account for that as well. I took out a bunch of money today because I broke Elder Smiths blender the other day and so I had to buy him another one and also to pay for a temple bag and scripture bag that I bought to try out and see how nice they are. Okay so that’s about all on that side of things.

How’s the grandparents, the family, and everyone doing? Grandma Hendrix Happy Birthday! 83 YEARS YOUNG AND GOING STRONG! Love you. I got an email from Jeff. haha he is so green man it makes me remember what I was like when I first came. It's cool to see though, so good. I probably need a little bit more of that greeny spirit in me now. As for the pictures and stuff well I haven't taken many pictures at all. It’s just everything is normal and I don't even know what to take a picture of anymore. I will try and take a lot more this transfer.

Here's the last week. Okay let me start off with the almost being killed story. One of our investigators is living with a guy, not married, and he is never around so she kind of lives alone but still it is his house and he
comes once a month or so. And he is not serious, doesn't believe in God and a very wicked man. She wants to be baptized and said that her boyfriend is not a good person, but that she had no money to really take care of herself. We told her that if she wants to be baptized they would have to get married, she would have to move out, or move back to her hometown and be baptized there. We should have never given that advice. Big mistake. The guy came home, thought we were stealing his wife from him because she wanted to leave him, and then he got really mad. As we were passing the house going to another appointment she came running out screaming, telling us he thought we were her boyfriends and that she had just got beat by him, and then he came out after her and was heading right for us, and let me tell you his face said that he wanted to kill us then and there. We backed away a little and he came right at us. He even had his shirt off like it was a movie, and he was huge!!!!!!!!! NFL linebacker status. We stood there and just shook praying, but also peeing down both legs. He started yelling at us and pointing and told us that we better leave or he would kill us. But in the end he never did anything, just told us we had to leave. And we did. It was one of the scariest things ever. I thought we were going to get beat up hardcore. But in the end we talked to him on the phone and kinda calmed him down and explained the whole situation, and he understood when all was said and done. But it is still a huge mess and now it is going to be difficult to baptize this woman, one of our best investigators. But we do have two others who have baptism dates for the 5^th of March and the one is super powerful and bore his testimony last Sunday and has been every week to church except the first Sunday. So things are going well, but we still have a lot to do and it’s a lot harder work. But I do feel like it is real missionary work where you have to contact and start from scratch. So it’s got its ups and downs, but we are loving it. It was a very eventful past two weeks and I have to leave out a lot of things that I wanted to tell you but I am out of time so sorry maybe I will tell you the rest next week if I remember. I didn’t do anything on my year mark, just another day. We had no water so we had to take care of that stuff and there just wasn't any time really. Well I love you guys so much. The work is hard, but he never said it would be easy, he only said that it would be worth it. And it sure is worth it. The church is true, I know it is and this work is divine. Love you all

Elder Adams